Don't Talk Like That
by ARMV7
Summary: Prompt: Where Max and Chloe are dating and they find Rachel and Chloe gets incredibly happy, possibly making Max feel left out and replaced.


_**I skipped how they actually found Rachel to give more content. Hope ya like it! [I'm new to this prompt thing lol]**_

_'We did it... we actually fucking did it...'_

Max should have felt thrilled. Thrilled that she -and Chloe- actually located Rachel.

She didn't.

It was a tough time finding her, but they actually did. They circumvented all odds and escaped with Rachel unharmed. After that fiasco, they drove in Chloe's truck to a small park by the Arcadian shoreline. It was roughly midnight, Max judged that by the moon's position on the super clear sky.

She stood awkwardly by the truck, watching Chloe and Rachel rejoice with one another a few meters away. Shouting, hugging, Chloe practically shaking Rachel. It was endearing, but not from Max's perspective.

With each second of them rejoicing, the photographer felt her stomach twist and sink. Chloe looked so damn happy. A happiness Max hasn't seen from her since she left five years ago.

What clawed at her more was the fact that she and Chloe were dating, and have been for a month now. Max had fallen for her punk of a best friend, plain, and simple.

But Chloe looked so damn happy...

And it sucked.

Max had an idea why. Maybe their relationship was just a temporary patch on Chloe's heart until they found Rachel. And once they did; Chloe would push her away. Possible reprieve for abandoning Chloe five years ago.

_'Maybe I'm just looking into this too much...'_

The brunette didn't want to believe that all the embraces, make-outs, and laughs with Chloe this past month had been a joke.

A lie.

_'Who am I kidding, she's probably gonna-'_

"Max! What're ya doing!? Get over here and say hi!"

Max snapped from deep thought, her deep blue eyes tracing down the shore to where Chloe and Rachel were waving her over.

She heaved a sigh, _'Let's just get this over with...' _

She traced the same footfalls in the sand that Chloe had made, and joined them by the shore seconds later. She locked gazes with Rachel; immediately a cool breeze blew by, as if to spite her.

Chloe elbowed Max in the side, "C'mon ya dork, say hi. You were so quiet in the truck I thought you'd gone mute on me.'

The brunette coughed awkwardly, straightening out her gray hoodie and facing Rachel, "H-

"Times up!" Chloe shouted, "Rach, this is my girlfriend Max, she's kinda shy, but pretty damn cool."

Max immediately froze, 'Girlfriend?'

The blonde turned to the photographer, "So you're Max? Man, Chloe wouldn't shut-up about you for the longest time. Cool to meet you."

Suddenly, the pit in Max's stomach faded, "Yeah, Chloe talked a lot about you too." She grinned, feeling almost stupid for harboring bad thoughts about her relationship to Chloe.

Rachel nodded and faced the duo, "Thanks for doing what you guys did, it's pretty-"

Chloe cut in, "Ah ah ah, don't thank me; thank Max here. She's got... a gift when it comes to being a badass."

Max giggled, "Please."

"Oh shit, Max, take a picture of me and Rach. Capture the moment y'know?"

"Yeah sure." She swiveled around and dug the camera Chloe gave her, from her bag. Just as, she turned back, her lips suddenly met those of Chloe's. Her posture softened, and she melded into the touch.

"Mmm," Chloe lifted back, her eyes looking directly into Max's, "Thanks for this dude, it means a ton."

The brunette blushed with a nod, now feeling very silly for being such a downer earlier.

Max prepared for the shot, she knelt down in the damp sand, and focused the camera on Chloe and Rachel by the water. The moonlight shimmering off the water provided the perfect back-lighting. Chloe flipped the camera the middle finger, and Rachel made a peace sign. Stifling a laugh, Max hit the shutter button.

**'Click.' **

The photo slid out, Max held it up as a sign to come back and look at it. They both practically sprinted, Rachel coming to Max's left while Chloe leaned right up against her girlfriend; placing her arm over her shoulder.

"It's good." Rachel smiled.

"Yeah it is." Chloe turned and pecked Max on the cheek.

"Thanks."

_"Anytime."_


End file.
